HeyFranHey Hosts 'Healthy Hair' Meet-Up in Harlem

HeyFranHey.com founder Francheska Medina, hosted a ‘Hey Healthy Hair’ meet-up on March 29, answering any and every question from New Yorkers interested in a more holistic approach to taking care of their hair, skin, and bodies.

“My company is [geared towards] trying to figure out how to change the online conversation to be more about how people are taking care of themselves,” she said. “It’s like a social media infiltration of health.”

Medina, popularly know as Fran by her social media following, boasts over 100,000 YouTube subscribers, more than 2 million video views, nearly 15,000 Twitter followers, and almost 60,000 on Instagram.

She is known for popularizing the oil pulling method, which she shared with Pix11 Morning News’ Dr. Steve Salvatore on April 2nd.

The event, sponsored by Camille Rose Naturals, was held at Apollo Beauty Land on 125th street where over 100 health-conscious men and women braved the rain and came out to pose questions about health, beauty and hair and receive honest, unadulterated answers.

Medina, who wanted to find a way to answer everyone’s questions, decided on the hyper-personal meet up.

“[I was thinking] what’s a cool way to have an event where people can engage. The problem with most blogger events is that it’s usually a panel format, you have your set questions and people just kind of have to live with what you said in the panel and that’s it,” she said.

Photo by Dana Gethers

HeyFranHey fans shopping after the 'Hey Healthy Hair' meet-up

“[I wanted to find] a way to answer everyone’s questions. [So I thought], how can we do something cool too where it’s local, in Harlem, because this where I’m from and I was like let’s just do it in a beauty supply store.”

Medina was accompanied by Franchesca Ramsey, a close friend and YouTube star who goes by ChescaLeigh on her popular Youtube channel Chescalocs. She was elated at the turnout.

“I’m excited to see so many women embracing their natural hair textures and being so encouraging of each other, it’s really really beautiful,” she said. “Fran is really inspiring and she’s helped so many people so I was not surprised to see such a massive turnout. It’s really great that there’s an online community that’s so supportive and encouraging.”

Twenty-year-old Hunter College student, Christina Carr, agreed. “I think it’s great, especially in New York. You see a growing natural community, but there isn’t a place where you can go to get the information,” she said. “You can go on the internet, but its good to have an actual person, physically there to talk to, and you can ask questions.”

Overall attendees believe the event was a success based on the fact that so many people came out to learn about ways to take care of their health.

“I think that it speaks volumes to where we are collectively as women, really looking to what we have naturally, and not just that because Fran’s platform isn’t just about natural hair,” said KarynRose Bruyning, 31, a friend of Medina’s. “It’s about taking care of yourself holistically, and in the purest way and to have so many people come out in the rain, who want to know more about really the best practices for taking care of themselves, it’s amazing.”